residential building designer

queenslanders

renovations

extensions

bathrooms

decks

kitchens

carports

raise and build under

new builds

to create spaces for ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

Stella Franks
Creative founder.
Building & Interior designer.

how can I help with your project?

services & process

redesigning homes for families to live in

I am here to help you design your home to achieve your ideal way of living. You may already know what you need to improve your home and living spaces. However you may not quite know how the space will quite fit together as a cohesive unit.

That’s where I can help.

I am able to work with you to develop your ideas, make recommendations and transpose those ideas into plans. As a licensed Building Designer, those plans can be submitted to council for approval, and be used for construction purposes.

Are you ready?

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Inclusions

The extent of each project varies greatly.
The prices are provided as a guide only

Each project includes the following:
• on-site design consultation
• background research to determine site constraints
• site plans, floor plans & elevations to suit your individual project
• alternative layout options to suit
• 3x free plan variations to develop your ideas
• prices as required for highly recommend external professionals

Extension

- prices starting from $4000+GST

Your loving where you live, but just need space, maybe a little, maybe a lot. Perhaps over sharing the one bathroom, or the kids when little enjoyed sharing a room, but now each need more personal space.

There are multiple ways of increasing the floor area of your house, whilst working within the constraints of your current floor plan. Whether extending outwards or even upwards I can work with you to ensure that the new area not just adds extra space, but improves the livibility of your house. I can provide multiple floor plan layouts that together we can tweak and adjust to ensure that the end result is something you and your family can live in for a long time to come.

Renovation

- prices starting from $4000+GST

You brought a house.It has all the space you require. However there is a few things that are not quite in the right location. The kitchen is at one end, and you have to carry everything from one end down the hallway, past the toys, over the dog out to the dining. Reconsidering the location of a few choice rooms whilst being mindful of the orientation will increase the ease in which one moves through the space. A thoughtful internal renovation might happen in conjunction with an extension, as you gain extra space, you maybe able to spread out and increase room sizes or sneak in a much needed second toilet.

Raise and build under

- prices starting from $5000+GST

This is all about maximizing your space, with additional benefits. By raising up, the potential to capture views and enjoy the breezes, whilst increasing the floor area of your house, without reducing your yard space is a big win win.

Carport

- prices starting from $3000+GST

If you have an older style house, chances are there is minimal covered car parking on site if at all. Or you have multiple vehicles, and a caravan, boat, bikes or kids that will need cars soon, and your existing garage is now full, a carport is a good solution. Carports do not need to be the basic lean tos a mere after thought anymore. They can dress up extension and compliment the house or hide the house and make their own statement.

Deck/verandah

- prices starting from $3000+GST

Decks can make a small house feel large. Providing an additional living area adjacent to a kitchen and or family room, opens up the house, and allow people to breathe. Bonus points if your backyard faces North. Orientation is an often overlooked consideration, but understanding its potential, will provide many benefits for years to come.

Kitchen, bath and laundry

- prices starting from $2000+GST

In an older style house, the wet rooms might have just been squeezed into any available corner, added in as living standards advanced. That squished kitchen that was there to just serve a single purpose has now become multipurpose, the heart of the home, where home work and home cooks work next to each other. A kitchen now needs to be thought out and thoughtfully located. Access directly to living areas, both inside and out, improves function and subsequently livability.

The bathroom and laundry have come along way since their first arrival into the house. Bathrooms are now luxurious rather then a luxury item of yesteryear.

The laundry, once overlooked, it classically consisted of a familiar large concrete tub, with the water piped into it from the machine. Now, they too can be beautiful rooms featured on pinterest with genius storage solutions.

Granny flat

- prices starting from $4000+GST

If you have the land size to do it, Granny Flats, add a great way to accommodate additional family members for long term stays whilst still allowing you to live separately. This may allow for interstate guests, older parents, or if your older kids haven’t quite yet moved out. New hobbies or side hustles may need that additional space to store supplies and have space to spread out and grow.

New house

- prices starting from $4700+GST

This is where you almost have unlimited design potential. There is no existing structures, to work within. Together we can design how you wish to live. Providing space to entertain, space to rest and space for guests. This is the opportunity to consider the orientation of your house, to reduce that glaring summer sun, and invite the shy winter sun in enhance your living experience.

Orientation is one of the most overlooked elements of designing a house or renovation, whereas if it is well considered it can be one of the most influential elements of how you live in your home.

are you ready?

existing conditions

When first contacted I will research your site. In South East Queensland there are a range of varying planning overlays that note special restrictions to preserve the character of the area. Depending on your project, your design may trigger town planning requirements as it can increase the costs of gaining approval and take additional time to achieve.

Other items to note is whether the area is in a flood or bush fire affected area, as this requires specific design considerations and additional reports completed during certification.

preliminary design

We will meet on site to discuss your project, and any potential restrictions that may need to be addressed.

I offer a range service levels. I can redraw your provided plans, without any design options, provide plans based on either your own ideas, images and brain storming as discussed on site, or can do a combination of both by developing the plans or sketches that you have provided.

Once you are happy with the design, you will be required to sign off on the plans. No further structural changes can occur after this stage. If additional changes do occur, a fee may be required, and the engineering may need to be amended to suit.

Plans provided may include:
• Site plan
• Floor plans

external consultants

Depending on your needs I can organize for all your additional consultants required for your project.

I have developed strong working relationships with industry professionals. I can manage the project through the approval stages.

I send through the plans and revisions as required to the external consultants, and decipher any additional requests for information (RFI) or can help explain the provided engineering details.

General external consultants, in order of project progression:
• Surveyor
• Engineer
• Town Planner
• Certifier
• Colour Consultant
• Builder

building approval

Once the engineering is complete, I do a final check of the plans, updating to reference the engineers’ details and specification. I will add any additional notes for the certifier as required. Once complete the plans are ready for approval.

If your project has triggered town planning, a Development Application is now required. During this process, a Town Planner will be required to submit the plans to council for approval. If RFI’s are received the town planner will advise and I will discuss our options with you and I update the plans to suit.

Once the development application is approved, if required, the plans go to the certifier. The certifier will ensure that what is proposed will comply. They will seek approvals for a variety of conditions and ensure that all required reports have been completed.

This may include:
• Build over services (most common)
• Tree removal permits
• Bush fire reports
• Flood report

from plans to completion

projects

happy clients & happy words

testimonials

Denise

"Stella Franks was kind, thoughtful, knowledgeable, professional and an absolute pleasure to work with."

Karl

Always received a follow up message,
was kept in the loop. Always knew
what’s going on if changes happened.

Erin

Stella has been wonderful, she is an
asset to your team. Nothing is too
much trouble and Stella is really trying
to help us design the perfect layout we
will have to live in for a very long time.

Stella is a real asset to your team. So
friendly and helpful and knows her
stuff!

Simon

Stella has been super helpful. We have
been very happy with her. She was
easy to deal with, understood the brief,
was fast and efficient.

Michelle

Stella was fantastic to work
with. She understood the brief,
was easy to deal with, was
fast, efficient and delivered as
per our instructions.

Barry

10/10 Because Stella has been
fantastic working with the certifier
who is hard to deal with but she is
working through his issues and we
will have a great outcome.

Jonny

Stella is great to deal with.

Lyle

Stella has been professional,
reliable, flexible, and fun to work
with. The ability to share a laugh at
stressful times is great.

Grand Designs Australia

The display home I designed for ‘Privium Homes’ appeared in the issue 8.6.

Custom Homes Australia

The display home I designed and conceptualized for ‘Privium Homes’ won Custom Homes Magazine “Housing and Construction Awards” winning “Brisbane’s Best Display Home over $551,000”.

View the write up here
https://customhomesonline.com.au/industrialstyle-award-winning-home/

Privium Homes

Read the description of the display home I designed and conceptualized for ‘Privium Homes’.

View the write up here
https://customhomesonline.com.au/display-homes-brisbane/

let’s start your project

contact

redesigning homes
for families to live in

Give me a call, and we can arrange a time for an on-site no obligation chat and a cup of tea to discuss your project.

I will get an understanding of your project, and be able to answer any questions about the process.

 

Ph: 0432 021 808

Hello

Let’s get started.
First step, tell me about your project, by filling in the form below.

 

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chat

0432 021 808

email

stella@threestems.com.au

office hours

Monday - Friday
9:00am - 2:30pm

socials

facebook: threestems
instagram: threestemsdesign

philosophy & essence

three stems

learning

Bachelor of Design, interior Environments
Building Designer • QBCC 15055942
Diploma of Interior Design & Technology

designing

Appreciate, honour & respect that the space designed, Influences how you live.

Believe in simplicity and practical designs, for livable solutions.

living

Reduce, reuse, recycle & renovate.

stem¹

noun
the stalk that supports a leaf, flower, or fruit.
verb
stem, stemming to arise or originate.

stem²

noun
stemmed, stemming to make progress against [any opposition].
verb
stemmed, stemming to make headway against [a tide, current, gale etc].

stem³

noun
the main, or usually vertical stroke of a letterform.